Outdoor ice skating rinks have long been a staple in the winter. They are great for hosting a variety of activities, including boot hockey, stick hockey, and figure skating, to name a few. If you’re in a region where a thick layer of ice forms on your lake or pond each winter, try making your own ice rink for tons of winter fun!

Always make sure the ice is thick enough and safe enough to walk on before doing so.

Step One: Clear your ice

If there is a layer of snow on top of your ice, get a shovel and clear the snow. You may also opt to use a snow-blower to do the job quickly! You can clear the snow into whatever shape or size you want your rink to be. Clear off your whole area, or just a portion of it, depending on the type of activities you’ll be doing.

If you do have snow to clear, you can also use the snow as a buffer or ridge to stop stray pucks from sliding too far across the lake or getting lost on the outside of your pond. It also acts as a boundary or “out of bounds” indicator if you plan on playing hockey or other games.

Step Two: Create a smooth surface

This step is for pond owners. If you have a small enough pond, you can let your hose run water onto the surface. The water will fill in any holes, cracks, or uneven surfaces once it freezes. You will be left with a smooth surface that ice skates won’t get tripped up on.

Step Three: Set up a lighting, benches, a warming house, etc.

Once you have the pond cleared and the surface smooth and ready, you can think about things to add. Will you be spending long hours on the rink? Bring your fish house down to the water so you have a place to warm up, put skates on, etc. If you don’t have a warming house, think about setting up chairs for people to sit in when they come off the ice, or when they are taking off skates/boots. Will you be playing at night? Bring a light down to the lake or pond with an extension cord so people can see in the dark.

Step Four: Get out on the ice and enjoy!

Now that you have everything set up and ready to go, you can finally start enjoying your new ice rink! Whether the kids start a neighborhood pond hockey league, or you try out your skating skills, there’s great fun to be had on the ice!

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